5 Creative Ways to Use White Watercolor Paint (That Most Beginners Don’t Know About)

White watercolor paint is one of the most overlooked colours in a beginner’s palette. Many artists set it aside, unsure of what to do with it or assuming it behaves just like white gouache. But white watercolor can actually create stunning effects that elevate your art, from soft atmosphere to glowing highlights and dreamy pastel tones.

In this guide, Craftamo walks through five simple but powerful techniques to help artists make the most out of their white watercolor paint. No special tools needed, just your palette, a brush, and a willingness to experiment.

Materials Used

This tutorial uses:

• White watercolor paint (from a pan or tube)
  

• Warm and cool colours for mixing
  

• A few brushes: round, mop, and detail

• Thick watercolor paper (300gsm)
  
  

Any white paint you already have will work perfectly fine.

Pro Tip:
Add a few drops of clean water to your white pan before painting. It softens the paint and makes it much easier to lift later.

Hack 1: Create Mist & Soft Atmosphere

White watercolor is excellent for adding fog, mist, or dreamy haze to a landscape.

Start by painting a simple silhouette, a mountain, hill, or tree line. Once it dries completely, brush a thin veil of diluted white along the edges or base. Instantly, the scene softens into a gentle mist.

Layer the effect as needed: apply, let dry, then add more for a deeper fog.

Technique Tip:
Use a light sweeping motion and avoid pressing too hard. Atmospheric effects should stay soft and subtle.

Hack 2: Add Crisp Opaque Highlights

White watercolor can be used much like gouache when applied thickly. Once your painting is dry, load a small brush with concentrated white and add highlights to petals, fruits, leaves, berries, or any object that needs a touch of shine.

Place highlights where light would naturally land, usually on the top or side of an object.

If the white appears too faint, simply layer it. A couple of passes make the brightest details pop beautifully.

Hack 3: Mix Dreamy Pastel Colours

One of the most fun uses of white watercolor is mixing your own pastel shades.

Place a small amount of white paint on your palette, then blend in just a touch of your chosen colour. The result is a creamy, opaque, soft-toned version of the original shade, perfect for florals, illustrations, cards, and anything with a gentle aesthetic.

Technique Tip:
If your mixture starts looking chalky, add a tiny drop of water or pure colour to balance it.

Hack 4: Create Dry Brush Texture

For artists wanting a grainy, rustic, or weathered effect, white watercolor works beautifully in dry-brush form.

Load thick white paint onto a stiff or older brush, wipe most of it off, and lightly drag it across textured watercolor paper. This creates broken, airy strokes that resemble snow, clouds, stone, sand, or wood grain.

Start gently and build up textures in thin layers.

Hack 5: Splatter Stars & Sparkle Dust

A classic favourite: white paint splattered with a brush creates tiny stars or magical speckles.

Thin your paint to a milk-like consistency, then tap the loaded brush over your page. This technique instantly transforms a dark sky into a starry night, or adds snowy and sparkly touches to winter scenes.

Adjust thickness as needed:

• Too big? The paint is too watery.

• Too faint? The paint is too thick.
  

Final Paintings

Final Thoughts

These five techniques prove that white watercolor is far more versatile than most artists realize. From atmospheric fog to bright highlights, textured surfaces, pastel mixes, and delicate splatters, this single colour can completely transform the mood and dimension of your work.

👉 Prefer learning by watching? You can watch the full video tutorial here.

If you try any of these techniques, don’t forget to tag @Craftamo — the team loves seeing your creations.

Until next time… let your creativity run wild. 🎨✨